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Ashura

Tenth day of the Muslim month of Muharram. Commemoration of the martyrdom in
680
of Husayn, Muhammad's
grandson and the third imam of Shii Islam. Shii communities annually reenact the
tragedy in a passion play, including self-mortification and displays
of sorrow and remorse intended to unite them in Husayn's suffering
and death as an aid to salvation on the Day of Judgment. Shii communities
experiencing deprivation, humiliation, or abuse today understand
Husayn's martyrdom as a paradigm for the struggle against injustice,
tyranny, and oppression. Became a major symbol and slogan during the Iranian
Islamic revolution, during the Iran-Iraq war (
1980
–
88
), and in Lebanon.